This Sicilian sardine and fennel pasta is so quick, easy and tasty to make. It is full of simple flavours, that combined together, pack quite a punch. Just think aniseedy fennel, salty anchovies, sweet golden currants, sardines and toasted pine nuts. Sweet and salty happiness in every bite.
Even Freddy, who can be so so about fennel, was pretty impressed and downed his in a few minutes. Please use fresh sardines when you can, but tinned sardines do the trick too. Feel free to also toss on some super crunch fried golden breadcrumbs.
This recipe now takes pride of place in my quick and easy weeknight suppers list especially as I love eating it both warm and cold. I heartily recommend making a huge batch of this and eating it for lunch and supper a few days in a row. So, so easy.
Oh and this is an Italian recipe with little bit of a story behind it. On Christmas Eve, Italians traditionally eat a feast of the 7 fishes whipping up recipes like this sardine and fennel pasta. Clearly they know how to kick off Christmas and I am all in support of them.
For more pasta recipes try this Harissa Pasta with Oranges.
This recipe first appeared in Superfood Christmas 2016.
Sicilian Sardine and Fennel Pasta
Ingredients
- 450 g (1lb) bucanti or linguini
- Olive oil
- 2 fennel bulbs diced
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 anchovy fillets finely chopped
- 1 tsp fennel seed toasted
- Chilli flakes to taste
- 3 tbsp golden currants
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 300 g (10.5oz) of boneless skinless sardine fillets, drained
- 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
- A handful of fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Cook the bucatini according to the packet instructions until the pasta is al dente, then drain, but reserve 200m of the pasta water. Keep the pasta in a warm place.
- Whilst the pasta is cooking, heat 1.5 tbsp olive oil in in a pot and sautee the onion and fennel for up to 10 mins until soft.
- Then add in the anchovies, fennel seeds, chilli flakes and fry for 1 min.
- Pour in the reserved pasta water and golden currants, season well, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Switch off the heat, stir in the pasta and sardines, top with the pine nuts and parsley and serve.
Nutrition
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Packs a punch is well said! This recipe sounds amazingly good and will certainly wake up the taste buds and satisfy the hunger.
Gotta love the Italians….this looks utterly delicious!
I’d love a bowl of this, looks gorgeous!
I have a love for classic Italian pasta dishes, they’re miles away from the spaghetti and meatballs we tend to see here…this one is so simple, but I can just imagine the great flavor and texture!
I cook with fennel seeds all the time, but not once have I tried fennel bulbs! This looks so delicious, so I’ll be sure I pick up a bunch this week!
This sounds wonderful, especially with all of that fennel and the fennel seeds! Both are favorites of mine. Such a yummy pasta dish!
I’m a bit so-so about fennel as well, sometimes I really enjoy it and other times not so much! Have never tried it with pasta though – everything’s good with pasta, right?
Lots of great flavors going on in the recipe! Lovely!
This looks beautiful and delicious! Yum!
I would love to try this. Looks really good.
This sounds great! I’ve never thought of using fennel, but I will now!
I love sardines but I rarely stumble upon recipes using them. Your pasta with fennel looks amazing! Thanks for the recipe!
Wow! I would never have thought about adding anchovies and currants to pasta but this sure does look beautiful and I’m sure it tastes great too!
I usually avoid sardines, but this pasta dish looks so good!
I love fresh sardines but have never thought to put them in a pasta dish and with the toasted fennel seeds this sounds truly delicious Bintu:-)
This sounds delicious! I love anchovies and sardines in pasta. And bucatini is one of my favorite pastas. This is definitely going on the must make list. Thanks!